As ever, we’re going to try and cover every single Jäger, New Blood and SOPHIE stage band before Bloodstock kicks off on August 9th. Your chance to check them out and start planning which bands to get there early for!
Trust us when we tell you that this is bound to result in some frustrating clashes because, as ever, there are some great bands on these three stages.
Our thanks to all the bands for taking the time out to answer our questions!
Dead Before Mourning – Hobgoblin New Blood Stage, Saturday
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
We are based in Surrey/London.
How long have you been playing together as a band?
We started the ball rolling in the summer of 2012, our current line-up has been thrashing since Stephen ‘Gus’ Mussett joined the fold in March 2017.
Where does the name of the band come from?
Believe it or not we started with the name D.B.M as just those letters simply because we liked the ‘ring’ of it. Unfortunately, if you publish any of the many different ideas we had back then as to what D.B.M. stood for we would all be instant fugitives but it’s fun always coming up with new ones and hope everyone joins in. One day the words ‘Dead Before Mourning’ were uttered and instantly we all agreed. It’s the way to live, thrash like you will be Dead Before Mourning – no regrets!
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
That’s a tough one to answer from the bands point of view, although we all share a passion for Bay Area thrash which no one can deny is definitely ‘in there’. Fast guitars, big guitar solos and pounding rhythms have always been what floats our boats. We also like the lyrics and vocal style of the genre; dramatic, audible but honest and intimidating. As for unique, not for us to say, but we can quote a fan from the M2TM London competition who said “You lot are like watching all my favourite thrash bands all at once, with heavier bits added in” – compliments do not get better than that!
What’s your live show like? Why are people going to watch you instead of another band?
Fast, precise, relentless and intense is what we aim for. But most of all entertaining, it’s all about the show and the vibe so If that’s not your thing and being caught in a whip is not ‘up your alley’ then best you jog on to another stage, if it is then see you down the front!
Have you been to Bloodstock before? What did you think?
Individually we have, but not as a band or in the same group. Reports are sketchy due to hazy memories of incredibly loud music and drunken lapses of common decency, which can only mean it rocked!
Did you enter M2TM thinking you could win it? Which region did you win, or did you come through other channels?
I don’t think there is a band out there who does not fill in the application form thinking ‘we can do this’. The scary bit is the first heat when you see just how good the other bands are, but once you start your journey in M2TM London you are engulfed in a wave of support and encouragement from absolutely everyone involved that drives you to be the best you can; striving to improve heat by heat. Winning M2TM London 2018 is a dream come true for us, and a journey we will never forget and always be a part of.
What sort of setlist can we expect?
Ah, that would be telling! Seriously though, we have just released our album Killing Time so the chance to perform some tracks from that is too good to miss. If anyone has any suggestions get ‘em in quick!
Which other bands do you most hope you’re not squished up next to so you can see them play?
That’s easy to answer, at the final of M2TM London we had to get our kit ready for our set so we missed a large chunk of the set delivered by The Brood who also are appearing on the New Blood stage, and deservedly so. If the organisers are reading, can we see The Brood please?
What are you working on at the moment?
Our live show and performance, as always, and now Killing Time is out there we are starting to write material for album number two. A metalhead’s work is never done!
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
I’m afraid we cannot discuss this due to legal reasons and to protect the guilty, plus the bruises ain’t healed yet!
Jager, Hobgoblin Ale, Red Bull, Kingstone Press Cider, Kaltenberg Beer or Bulleit Bourbon? And, yes, we’ll be counting all the votes!
Jager all the way! Oh dear, it’s going to get messy in the DBM camp! All are welcome!
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